Process of making automatic sprinklers



May 8, 1923. 1;454,235 W. GRIMSHAW' PROCESS OF MAKING AUTOMATIC SBRINKLERS Filed. April 7, 1922.

Patented May 8, 1923.

warren stares WILLIAM enIMsHAw, or GLEN ELLYN, ILLINoIs'.

PROCESS OF MAKING AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS.

Application filed April 7,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM GRIMsHAw, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Glen Ellyn, in the county of Du Page and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Process of Making Automatic Sprinklers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers and relates particularly to an improved process of manufacturing automatic sprinklers, whereby they will be subjected to de sired operating stresses.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and novel process for the purpose specified.

To. effect the foregoing object, my improved process comprises the various steps hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, in which a sprinkler constructed in accordance with my improved process is fully illustrated,

Figure 1 is a side view of an automatic sprinkler constructed in accordance with my improved process; and

Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged fragmentary views illustrating the operation of my improved process.

Referring now to the drawings, A designates the sprinkler as a whole, which, as regards its usual features and excepting as hereinafter particularly described, may be of any usual or' approved construction and will be readily understood by persons familiar with the art without a description thereof in detail. j I

As shown, the sprinkler is of the type in which the water discharge nozzle 1 is adapted to be closed by a valve cap 2 which is secured in closed position by means of toggle levers which comprise articulated strut members 3 and 4, the remote ends of which, respectively, engage recessed bearings 5 and 6 formed in the valve cap 2 and directly in the inner end of a boss or abutment 7 formed integral with and which rigidly connects the outer ends of the side arms 8 and 9 of the sprinkler frame. Said toggle levers also comprise laterally projecting arms 10 and 11, the ends of which are connected to a fusible member 12, which may be of any desired or approved construction. I do not, however, limit myself to any particular means for securing the valve cap 2 in closed 1922. Serial No. 550,255.

position, as my invention contemplates-the use'of any desired means for this purpose.

In accordance with the preferable practice of my improved process of manufacture, the parts of the sprinkler are finished to such dimensions that it will be impossible to assemble the sprinkler when the sprinkler frame is unstressed. In assembling the sprinkler, therefore, the sprinkler frame is first subjected to an initial stress, the parts assembled and the sprinkler frame released, which will operate, 'in an obvious manner to maintain the parts of the sprinkler'in.

assembled position. Such initial stress may conveniently be imparted to the sprinkler frame by means of compression applied to the outer sides of the arms by any suitable means.

The parts of thesprinkler having been assembled, the boss or abutment 7 is subjected to a swaging'action, preferably applied to its inner end in such manner that it will elongate said boss or abutment and impart a permanent set thereto sufficient to bring and maintain the parts of the sprinkler under desired operating stress.

Swaging of said boss to impart desired elongation thereto may be effected by means of a suitable press equipped witlr properly shaped dies. A suitable press can be pur-. chased commercially and die makers can make necessary dies, and said press and dies are, therefore, neither shown nor described.

To illustrate the effect of the swaging operation, I have, in Figs. 2 and 3, shown enlarged exaggerated views of the bossor abutment 7 respectively showing the approximate shape thereof before and after the swaging operation.

I claim- 1. The process of subjecting automatic sprinklers to desired operating stresses,v

which consists in supporting the parts of I the sprinkler in assembled relation, and subjecting the strut abutment at the outer ends of the arms of the sprinkler to a. swaging action adapted to impart apermanent set thereto sufficient to develop a desired opcrating stress in the parts of the sprinkler,

substantially as described.

2, The process of assembling automatic sprinklers and subjecting the parts thereof to desired operating stresses, which consists.

in so proportioning the parts of said sprinkler that they cannot be assembled under normal conditions, subjecting the sprinkler frame to an initial stress sufficient to permit of the parts of the sprinkler to be assembled, assembling said parts, releasing the stress on said sprinkler frame, and subjecting the strut abutment at the outer ends of the sprinkler arms to a swaging action adapted to impart a permanent set thereto sufiicient to develop a desired operating stress in the parts of the sprinkler, substantially as described.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afiix my signature this 4th day of April, 1922.

WILLIAM GRIMSHAW 

